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Because they tell the truth about politics, terrorism, and disarming Americans to create a pool of helpless victims …

Because they tell the truth about Obama’s Chicago …

Because they are proof that when criminals and crazies use a weapon for evil, there are millions of law abiding citizens who have never fired a shot in anger and stand ready to protect themselves, their families, their neighbors, and their communities.

Bottom line …

The Second Amendment was not created for self-defense because that was a given at the time our forefathers drafted our constitution. Likewise, the Second Amendment was not created for hunting for food or sporting use. It was created for the day when our government would turn against the people. Denying them freedom and liberty while enforcing draconian public policies that are the hallmark of tyranny and oppression.

The corrupt politicians want to disarm you because they are scared that, at some point in time, their crimes will be discovered and “We the People” will demand justice.

Donald Trump, by his past actions, has demonstrated that he is as thoroughly corrupt as any other politician; apparently having few core values that could serve this nation well. Trump brags about using significant amounts of money to purchase political support to bend rules and regulations in his favor. His previous support for positions were based on self-interest and he could care less about those individuals and entities that were disadvantaged. He has been a democrat and a republican, supported socialism as well as capitalism. With Trump, you get the man in a moment – and in the next minute, someone else.

I am different …

Of course, when confronted with his manipulation of the political system and individual politicians, his response is always something like: I am and was a world-class businessman and I owe it to myself, my family, my employees, and my company to do those things that make us prosper. With the implication that now he is a “politician” he would be a politician unlike any other politician before him; eschewing self-serving cronyism to serve “we the people” and to make our country great again. And, let us not forget, I am so rich that I can’t be bought and will serve all of the people.

A position echoed by former California Governor and self-professed Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger who turned out to be more corrupt than his predecessor, Gray Davis, who had been recalled. And a man who rarely interacted with the state republicans as he slavishly gave perks and privileges to the progressive socialist democrats while giving us one of the largest, if not the largest, tax increase in California’s history.

Donald Trump, a clear and present danger …

Precisely what makes Donald Trump so dangerous is that he cannot be trusted. His word is not his bond, and as we have seen with his numerous corporate bankruptcies, everything appears to be negotiable.

Which brings us to the specific reason I fear a Trump presidency. THE SUPREME COURT. The next president will appoint at least two and possibly three Supreme Court Justices for a total of nine unelected people who are exerting an unprecedented degree of control over our personal lives, our economy, and our nations policies, both foreign and domestic. Often issuing ideologically-based rulings by a margin of one vote in 5/4 or 4/5 decisions. The very people who have proven under Justice Robert’s watch that they put themselves above their constitutional duties and have allowed tortured and contorted interpretations of the constitution to be used to justify unconstitutional actions.

More importantly, what concerns me greatly is that these nine poohbahs have little or no regard for private property, the underpinnings of capitalism, and believe that the government has a fundamental right and responsibility to go beyond the constitution to enact programs that affect our lives. Without such a right being proven or demonstrated, only asserted by the Court.

Consider the Kelo decision. Under a wrong-headed and tortured explanation of eminent domain under the Fifth Amendment’s ”takings clause”, the Court has ruled that a government entity can take an individual’s property, not for a public use such as a road, firehouse, school, etc., but to covey to another private individual so that individual can make a profit that ultimately benefits the government in reducing urban blight or increasing tax revenues. A scenario that saw the acquisition of private property to be turned over to Trump for development and substantial profit. While the original property owners received a pittance based on the reduced value of the property at the time of its seizure.

One need only look at Trump’s activities in Bridgeport, Connecticut and Atlantic City to see how Trump’s activities played out. Both were failures, complete with dodgy politicians and special deals. Read my previous post THE DARK SIDE OF DONALD TRUMP for a better feel of Trump’s perfidy.

In 2005, however, Trump was delighted to find that the Supreme Court had okayed the brand of government-abetted theft that he’d twice attempted. “I happen to agree with it 100 percent,” he told Fox News’s Neil Cavuto of the Kelo decision. Can Republicans support someone with so little regard for the property of others? Let’s hope not. <Source>

Donald Trump’s view of eminent domain is not just immoral and un-American, it exposes a very troubling mindset that contradicts the populist appeal that has helped him get as far as he has in the Republican primary. People need to ask themselves if they want a second president in a row who’s so eager to use the fascist power of government to crush the individual in furtherance of corporate interests.

With its 2005 Kelo v. New London decision, the Supreme Court changed everything. The reasonable Takings Clause has been perverted into a “greater good” argument that allows the use of eminent domain to transfer property from one private owner to another.

In one 5-4 decision (Kennedy and the left-wing Justices, naturally), the Constitution’s explicit use of the words “public use” was upended to allow the well-connected to use the power of the government to force you to sell your property, your home or business, to well-connected developers.

Trump has made no secret of the fact that he is politically well-connected. In his business dealings, he has also used eminent domain to enrich himself, and in an interview this week he called this “wonderful.”

“What people don’t know is, usually you go through a condemnation, and [the property owner] will get 2, 3, 4 times the value of their house. People don’t know that,” Trump tells Breitbart News.

Trump acknowledged that the condemnation process is difficult.

“It’s always unpleasant,” he says. “They always say you pay them fair market value, but politically, they will pay you much more.”

And all he has to do is crony up to the right elected officials and use the magic word “jobs.”

We’re not talking about a road here — a road that cannot go someplace else. We’re talking about another hotel or another ugly box store; we’re talking about a business that can go someplace else but won’t because the billionaire in question has his eye on my property. He wants something that belongs to me, something he can get richer off of, and in order to get it, he’s willing to use the power of government force to take away what is legally and morally mine.

Would my wife and I give up our home to expand a road? If we were convinced our local government had no other viable option, I would not only agree to sell, in good conscience, I would not gouge the taxpayers.

Would we give up our home to Trump so he could get a little richer than he already is with some hotel? Believe it or not, that decision is no longer up to me. Even though I live in America, I’d have no choice in the matter. And Trump thinks that’s “wonderful.”

One of the things that is so appealing about Trump is that he speaks “American” like no other candidate. I don’t mean English, I mean American. He’s fluent in it. But Kelo is neither American nor wonderful.

What is “wonderful” is a government that understands that the smallest and most vulnerable minority in the country is the individual, and that the government’s primary responsibility is to protect the rights of that individual, most especially the rights of the obstinate, unreasonable “hold outs.”

The Individual has already suffered through eight years of a president completely enamored with the idea of using government to crush his human rights. We do not need another. <Source>

It appears, at least to me, that Trump has a complete disregard for any individual who opposes him or speaks out. They are, by Trump’s definition, losers, scum, and should not be considered in any conversation.

Bottom line …

Socialists and communists are hostile to private property, believing that the rights of the collective – and the government – should supersede any individual rights, whether God-given or acquired through legislation. Even if the progressive socialist democrats cannot erase private property, they can dilute, tax, encumber, restrict, or render it unfit for a given purpose. Anyone who has seen the damage wrought by the environmentalists – in collaboration with the government – can see how the lack of a tough-minded conservative with core values could further the decline of the United States that was built upon conservative principles.

Donald Trump has proven to be a self-serving weathervane, blowing with the political winds and embracing some elements of conservatism while he continues to talk like a progressive socialist democrat when it comes to healthcare (single-payer, the long-term goal of the democrats), private property (he favors Kelo and taking private property from one individual to give to a large corporation to develop), and other democrat memes.

The single thing that scares me more than Donald Trump’s crony capitalism and his willingness to claim greatness for himself while throwing others under the bus for failures on his watch, is his apparent attitude that all things can be negotiated; that you can actually make a deal with the devil. As others have said, Trump is not a self-made man like Marco Rubio (his father was a multimillionaire with an extensive property portfolio), but a self-invented man.

Given his flamboyant personality, obvious narcissism, lack of self-control when challenged, and his concentration on style over substance, I wonder if he will emulate President Obama in using the taxpayer’s money to purchase photo ops and meaningless accords when times get tough. <Source: One Citizen Speaking>

In the final analysis, I would much rather have a stable conservative politician like Ted Cruz in the Presidency than a wild card like Donald Trump. That the two political parties could serve up corrupt individuals like Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is a sign that we are so screwed.

-- steve

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

Once again, the communists embedded in the government are trying to tell you how to live your life. In this video they are warning about surplus food that may wind up in landfills where they produce methane gas, a greenhouse gas said to be 20 times more potent than the carbon dioxide that they normally demonize. But say relatively little about a massive gas leak in Southern California that is spewing 1.200 tons of methane daily.

The warning video …

"Most people don't realize how much food they throw away every day — from uneaten leftovers to spoiled produce,” the EPA website states. “More than 96% of the food we throw away ends up in landfills ... Once in landfills, food breaks down to produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change,” the text states. “So, this holiday season, take steps to cut down your food waste."

“Before sitting down with friends and family this holiday season, consider the impact your meal can have on our planet,” the video, posted on Dec. 16, states.

“A typical American family of four throws out $1,600 of wasted food each year,” it continues.

“It ends up in landfills where it rots and releases methane – a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change,” the narrator states while an image of a savage storm is shown.

“So this holiday season, buy only what you need,” the video states. “Donate your extra food to food banks and shelters and compost the trimmings.”

If they are so concerned about atmospheric methane, why is the EPA not on the scene or fining the politically-connected Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Company for a massive natural gas leak in their Aliso Canyon Storage Facility Project. It took a grandstanding congress member, Brad Sherman, to demand action from the EPA. This is an infrared shot showing the gas rolling over homes in Porter Ranch. To see the video …

I am writing to request that the Environmental Protection Agency immediately investigate the unresolved gas leak at the Southern California Gas Co. natural gas storage facility in Aliso Canyon. I ask that the Environmental Protection Agency investigate the cause of the leak, and propose action to mitigate the threat to public health, and expedite the leak’s repair.

For over six weeks, noxious gas emanating from a leaking well has been sickening residents of the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles, causing headaches, nose bleeds and dizziness. A preliminary Environmental Health Assessment by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed the health threat, noting the “neurological, gastrointestinal, and respiratory symptoms that may result from the inhalation.” More than 2,800 residents have inquired about relocation and over 1,200 have already relocated. The situation will only worsen, as Southern California Gas Co. estimates that the leak could continue for months.

The California Air Resources Board estimates that the leak is responsible for nearly 25% of California’s daily methane emissions; as you know, methane is an important cause of global climate change. I am also concerned about reports of radon gas and benzene being released into the air.

An immediate investigation has become necessary due to the prolonged period of the leak, the apparent health impacts, and the lack of certainty over when the leak can be stopped.

I am aware that 40 CFR § 68.3 excludes storage facilities from regulation under the Risk Management Program. However, we believe that 42 U.S. Code § 7603, which allows the EPA to “issue such orders as may be necessary to protect public health or welfare or the environment,” controls the determination here. A statutory provision inherently trumps any regulation. To be even clearer, the statue explicitly states, “Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Administrator… may… take such other action as may be necessary.”

Accordingly, it seems clear that you have the statutory authority to:

Commence an investigation,

Determine all necessary steps to protect the environment and public health, and

Require Southern California Gas Co. to implement all such steps.

Sincerely,

Brad ShermanMember of Congress

You will notice that Brad Sherman, one of the nation’s most pro-Obama and most outspoken progressive socialist democrats, did not mention any of the facts that are most troublesome …

On October 23, 2015, employees of the the Southern California Gas Company discovered a leak in their Aliso Natural Gas Storage facility located in the Porter Ranch ranch area, located approximately 25 miles northwest from downtown Los Angeles.

The source of the leak is a pipe in a breached 7-inch casing of well SS 25 that is 8,750 feet deep. It goes into an abandoned oil field that became the Aliso Canyon storage facility in the 1970s that can hold 86 billion cubic feet of natural gas and is the second largest storage facility of its kind in the United States.

Well SS 25 had been drilled in 1953 and was initially provided with a safety valve. The safety valve was removed in 1979 as it was old and leaking. As the well was not considered "critical", the removal of the valve did not require a replacement.

[Editor Note: Critical wells are located near homes, schools, and roads. The safety valve would have allowed well shutdown with a minimal expenditure of time and cost. There are a number of similarly situated wells and the possibility that other wells will experience problems in this seismically active area as time progresses is more likely than not.]

The well releases about 1,200 tons of methane every day. In terms of release of greenhouse gases, this output in a month has been compared to the equivalent of what 200,000 cars will emit in a year.

Initial attempts to close the well by pouring brine or heavy liquids down failed.In early December drilling of relief wells was started to intercept and plug the leaking well. A first relief well is estimated to be completed by February 24, 2016. According to SoCalGas a secondary relief well is planned to be drilled, and it was estimated that the repair of the leak could take until the end of March 2016. <Source>

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Brad Sherman received PAC money in the amount of $1000.00 from Sempra Energy (Gas) and $1000.00 from Edison International (Electric) in the current 2015-2016 election cycle. <Source> Sempra has spent $3,831,453 since 1992 on political contributions and $26,423,581 since 1998 in lobbying activities. <Source>

Sempra and their SoCalGas subsidiary is a careful and conservative company and appears to be reacting in an environmentally responsible manner. But look to the lawyers and the politicians to exploit the mishap for their own political and profitable advantage.

Bottom line …

When the EPA crosses the boundaries of the Food and Drug Administration and starts spending government money to tell you to minimize your leftovers lest they contribute to global warming, it is time to stop this out-of-control agency in its tracks.

-- steve

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

What the progressives do not seem to understand is that you cannot legislate that which is not moral and just without future consequences …

Consider the progressives bemoaning the fact that blacks and other minorities are underachieving and can’t seem to find decent-paying employment; yet are the very same people who oppose education reform, charter schools, and teacher competency testing when the only way to achieve and obtain employment is through education.

Consider the progressives bemoaning the fact that our infrastructure is crumbling, yet demand that funds for the repair, replacement, or build-out of new infrastructure be transferred to social programs in order to purchase political influence and votes. Or demanding that government projects are reserved for unionized labor which only adds to the costs, multiplies inefficiencies, and delay completion schedules.

Consider the progressives insinuating that you, as an individual, are to stupid, apathetic, or self-serving to know what public policies are best, and therefore experts must tell you how to live your lives as individuals, for the betterment of the collective society. Never once mentioning that these experts tend to concentrate on those activities that perpetuate their own political power and funding, and that their policies, if unchecked, will regress to totalitarianism as their mistakes become more cause for individual grievance and public unrest.

Consider the progressives who are claiming that social justice depends on a morality that must be imposed by a central authority that controls both the labor and the means of production – choosing to abolish individual ownership of the means of production as well as private property. But overlook the reality that those who purport to keep the moral standards are beholden to their special interest supporters – and not the general constituency as often portrayed.

Consider that the progressives who bleat most about income disparity come from places where income disparity is most prevalent (e.g. Nancy Pelosi - San Francisco, California; Chuck Schumer - New York City, New York) and have done nothing but take money from the poobahs and high rollers.

The paragon of cynicism, corruption and lack of morality …

Bottom line …

The reality is that political corruption is the greatest danger to mankind. For it is the corrupt that will use religion, science, politics as their rationale for usurping and maintaining their own political power.

This election, a proxy vote on whether or not to pursue socialism over capitalism, is not simple one of differing value judgements and political interests, but one of deciding whether or not America will continue to be the world’s only superpower or be forced to disadvantage its economy and military in order to bring about a reduction in the quality of life and standard of living in order to achieve parity with other unexceptional member-states of the United Nations. Most of which are corrupt dictatorships.

The choices we make in the 2016 election cycle will impact future generations. With the passing of the greatest generation and the aging of the hippie generation, will the millennials and their children even have a future in a free and open America?

Its up to us to preserve our heritage while continually improving our nation and its people. Not by division by mandating political correctness, multiculturalism, and moral equivalency, but by unification and defeating our enemies, both foreign and domestic. Recognizing that the Constitution is not a suicide pact and that unreformed Islam is not a peaceful religion.

Vote …

-- steve

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

The progressive socialist democrats continue to place students and teachers at risk of a mass shooting by prohibiting concealed firearms on school property. Unless there is an armed guard present, when and where needed, the progressive legislators have doomed you or your child to potential death or injury.

It is almost as if they want to create larger victim pools in schools so as to pursue their anti-Second Amendment gun control agenda …

SB 707, Wolk. Firearms: gun-free school zone.

Existing law, the Gun-Free School Zone Act of 1995, subject to exceptions, prohibits a person from possessing a firearm in a place that the person knows, or reasonably should know, is a school zone, unless with the written permission of certain school district officials.

Existing law defines a school zone as an area on the grounds of a school providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, inclusive, or within a distance of 1,000 feet of that school.

Existing law prohibits a person from bringing or possessing a firearm upon the grounds of a campus of a public or private university or college, or buildings owned or operated for student housing, teaching, research, or administration by a public or private university or college, that are contiguous or are clearly marked university property, as specified, unless with the written permission of specified university or college officials. Under existing law, a violation of these provisions is a felony, or, under specified circumstances, a misdemeanor.

Under existing law, certain persons are exempt from both the school zone and the university prohibitions, including, among others, a person holding a valid license to carry a concealed firearm and a retired peace officer authorized to carry a concealed or loaded firearm.

This bill would recast the provisions relating to a person holding a valid license to carry a concealed firearm to allow that person to carry a firearm in an area that is within 1,000 feet of, but not on the grounds of, a public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

The bill would also delete the exemption that allows a person holding a valid license to carry a concealed firearm to bring or possess a firearm on the campus of a university or college.

The bill would create an additional exemption from those prohibitions for certain appointed peace officers who are authorized to carry a firearm by their appointing agency, and an exemption for certain retired reserve peace officers who are authorized to carry a concealed or loaded firearm.

By expanding the scope of an existing crime, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.

Existing law, subject to exceptions, prohibits carrying ammunition or reloaded ammunition onto school grounds unless it is with the written permission of the school district superintendent, the superintendent's designee, or equivalent school authority.

This bill would reorganize those exceptions.

The bill would delete the exemption that allows a person to carry ammunition or reloaded ammunition onto school grounds if the person is licensed to carry a concealed firearm.

The bill would also create an additional exception to that prohibition by authorizing a person to carry ammunition or reloaded ammunition onto school grounds if it is in a motor vehicle at all times and is within a locked container or within the locked trunk of the vehicle.

Effective January 1, 2016

Bottom line …

We know criminals and crazies, especially students who have been treated with psychotropic drugs, have little or no respect for the law, so why do we believe that anyone bent of harming teachers, students, or school staff would obey posted signs.

And, we have seen what crazed teachers and administrators with zero commonsense have done to little children who either drew something that looked like a gun or nibbled on a Pop-Tart until it looked like a gun. Even making “finger guns” can get you expelled – while throwing gang signs appears to be a free speech issue. Unbelievable.

We need to remove the progressive socialist democrats from our critical institutions where they implement nonsensical laws that real criminals and crazies do not obey. Ditto for the progressives who continue to indoctrinate, instead of educate, our children.

-- steve

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

If you look closely, Donald Trump is more like President Obama – complete with a narcissistic personality disorder, lack of core beliefs, and a history of self-serving corruption. And the reason he does not need a TelePrompTer is because the message is simple and he simply sticks to a few points without any specific details. When pressed for more information, he refers to short position papers written by his advisors or claims negotiators don’t tell the other side what they are going to do.

Too cute by half …

Personally I believe that a President Trump will be tested by the major powers as soon as he takes office. And, just might use the military just to demonstrate his “toughness;” acting out of ego rather than smart policy. Staffing all major work out and simply deciding what makes him look the best. Deciding who he “likes” by who flatters him the most, and calling everyone else losers.

Bottom line …

We cannot afford another liberal in the White House – even one that slows the pace of socialism from 100 miles per hour to 70 miles per hour. We want the guy that reads and understands the Constitution and slams on the brakes before turning around to go in the other direction.

If you want a tough, but politically experienced, loudmouth – Chris Christie certainly is better than Trump.

But if you want a principled conservative who respects the constitution and was tough enough to stand up to his own party, then Ted Cruz is the man.

-- steve

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

In addition to being a corrupt, lying, cronyist, progressive socialist democrat with a history of scandal and policy failures, Hillary Clinton is a cold, calculating, inauthentic cold fish with a violent temper, a disdain for the Secret Service that protects the lives of the president and his family, and a hatred for the military.

So how does an inauthentic cold fish win votes without staging yet another phony encounter with “real people” or avoid campaigning … you send out your husband – a charming man, a man of wit, someone who needs to be liked, and who makes every person fell special. Even though the man is a sexual predator and a woman’s worse nightmare – or her most pleasant fantasy. A man who openly travels with a convicted pedophile, and keeps a mistress the Secret Service code-named the “Energizer Bunny.” A former President who disgraced the Oval Office and was impeached by Congress.

How the hell did America get to this place where a blatantly corrupt politician appears to be the solution to the current communist disaster in the White House?

A new and more combative phase of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign opens next month when she sends her husband out to stump for her in important early states.

Waiting for him will be businessman Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner.

The former president has been a low-key figure since Mrs. Clinton entered the race for the Democratic nomination in April, offering private advice and helping her raise money at closed-door fundraisers. In January, the campaign intends to showcase him in public forums in Iowa and New Hampshire, two states where the front-runner is locked in a tight race against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Speaking to supporters recently, Mrs. Clinton described her husband as a “secret weapon.”

Throwing Mr. Clinton into the mix could further escalate the rhetoric between the Trump and Clinton campaigns. In the 2008 presidential race, the former president would bristle at criticism directed at his wife and got in hot water when he suggested Barack Obama’s victory in the South Carolina primary was less significant because of the large African-American vote.

More smoke and mirrors from Hillary Clinton and her husband who have a pattern and practice of selling out America for cold cash from any source, both foreign and domestic. People who should be indicted for obstruction of justice and stealing from the government – and I don’t mean just the furnishings they lifted from the White House when they were leaving.

Anyone who would even attend one of the Clinton rallies tells you more about themselves and their lack of patriotism than if they wrote a book.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

Why am I not surprised when California has some of the highest gas prices during the holiday season? Beyond, of course, the actions of the progressives socialist democrats who run the state and impose ever-higher taxes, onerous environmental restrictions, and refuse to build-out California’s freeway system so you burn money and create smog at the same time as you idle in traffic.

Then again, we have aging refineries that break down, are scheduled for routine maintenance, or shut-down to switch between winter and summer blends of gasoline as required by the environmental Nazis.

It appears that we cannot import “California blend” gasoline from other states to deal with temporary locations and we are seeing overseas exports used to maintain a tighter supply of oil and gasoline to create higher pricing.

Californians see big jump in gas prices, while rest of country hovers just over 2 bucks

While drivers across the nation are enjoying paying just a touch over two bucks a gallon for gas, Californians are getting hammered -- again -- with a new surge for a fill-up.

The state average climbed to $2.78 a gallon on Christmas Eve, up 13 cents in the past week after steadily falling since Labor Day. That's compared with $2.01 a gallon across the U.S.

Drivers in the Golden State are noticing, and wondering why.

"What's the story with the 15-cent hike at Chevron?" asked Jack Harper, 76, of Concord, where 12 days ago the price for premium was $2.85 at the station at Treat and Clayton, followed by a jump to $2.89 a few days later and then up to $2.99 this week. "Tell me there's a gas shortage."

Yep.

"You can guess the reason why -- refineries," said Allison Mac of Gasbuddy.com in Los Angeles. "There have been some unplanned maintenance issues causing the increase in the past week. We could see prices in California rise a bit more before they fall."

California is being bled by the progressive socialist democrats who refuse to deviate from their toxic socialist agenda – packing more and more illegal aliens and welfare recipients into the state without increasing facilities and infrastructure.

And what’s with that 9/10th’s crap? At these prices, nobody is being fooled.

We are so screwed.

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

As we celebrate this holiday season, it is time to turn inward, to celebrate a true religion of peace and goodwill toward all …

If our government must spend billions, let them spend billions in our own country, strengthening our people, our resiliency, our crumbling infrastructure, our military, and the system that has made our nation the most outstanding nation on the planet. Let us address and eliminate political corruption and return to the bright shinning place on the hill.

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor.

This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift-giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Oh, Yes there is! It is time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon, or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate, or even a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a Chinese-made flat-screen TV? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a gazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint.

Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck, or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would love the services of a local cleaning lady for a day, or even a week.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I know I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery, and beautiful wooden boxes.